Stockport County F.C | The Freindly Football Club The Freindly Football Club Links The Basics Stockport County Football Club are an English football club based in Stockport, England. They play in League Two, the fourth tier of the English football pyramid. Their home stadium is Edgeley Park, and are nicknamed The Hatters, although are usually referred to by supporters simply as County. Formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers F.C., shortly after they merged with a similarly named club, Heaton Norris F.C., and on 24 May 1890 changed their name to Stockport County F.C. to reflect Stockport becoming a County Borough. They joined the Football League in 1900, and have competed in it continuously since 1905. Having spent most of their history in the lower reaches of the Football League, the 1990s were notably successful, competing in the Football League First Division (2nd Tier) for five seasons. Instability on & off the pitch led to Stockport quickly tumbling back down the leagues, narrowly avoiding a drop into the Football Conference (5th Tier) in 2006.

The History Stockport County were formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers by members of the Wycliffe Congressional Church, and played their first recorded game in October the next year. The club adopted 'The Hatters' as their nickname, owing to Stockport's history as the centre of the Victorian hat-making industry, a nickname that is shared with Luton Town. Stockport played in the Lancashire League until 1900. They then gained admission to the Football League Second Division. Unfortunately, the club finished in the bottom three for their first four seasons and at the end of 1903-04 they failed to gain re-election. They spent one year in the Lancashire Combination, won the league, and were re-admitted to the Football League. County were fortunate that, despite an awful 1921-22 campaign that saw them end the season bottom of the Second Division, which would normally have seen them face re-election, they were placed in the brand new Third Division North.

The Hatters won the league at the first time of asking in 1921-22, but struggled and soon returned to the bottom division where, barring a couple of seasons, the club would stay for more than 40 years. The 1933-34 season saw goals galore, 115 in total, including a 13-0 win over Halifax Town, which still stands as a Football League record. In 1936-37 County won the Third Division North, but failed to gain a foothold in the Second Division, finished 22nd out of 22 and were relegated. The 1950s brought little league success, but were notable for some fine goalscoring by Jack Connor, whose 140 goals are still a club record, including 13 hat-tricks, two instances of 4 goals in a match, and two of five goals in a match. When the regional Third Divisions were to be combined into national Third and Fourth Divisions after the 1957-58 campaign, Stockport managed to finish in the top half of the Third Division North and so were placed in the following season's national Third Division.

Just one season was spent at this level, Stockport were demoted and didn't return until winning the Fourth Division in 1966-67. After being relegated in 1969-70, the 1970s and 80's consisted of little other than mediocrity or struggling against re-election. The introduction of automatic promotion & relegation between the Football League & the Conference was not a good sign for Stockport and, in 1986-87 they had just 6 points from 13 games and faced a real prospect of non-League football, exemplified by crashing out of the FA Cup to Caernarfon Town. Colin Murphy was brought in for his second spell as manager, County gained 45 points from their final 31 games and survived, although Murphy left shortly after the end of the season. Danny Bergara was appointed as manager in March 1989, quickly transforming the team and automatic promotion was gained in 1990-91. The next three seasons saw County make the play-offs, but failed to result in another promotion.

In March 1995 Bergara was sacked after an altercation with then chairman Brendan Elwood, and Dave Jones was appointed manager. The 1996-97 campaign proved to be the most successful in the club's history, finishing 2nd in the Second Division and reaching the semi-final of the League Cup, knocking out three Premiership teams (Blackburn Rovers, Southampton & West Ham United) on the way before losing to Middlesbrough 2-1 on aggregate. Jones left for Southampton, and a succession of managers were unable to build on the success of the 1990s, former England international Carlton Palmer failing to stop County being relegated in 2001-02 or to build a team capable of challenging for a return in subsequent seasons. Sammy McIlroy followed as manager in 2003 but more poor results led to his sacking, and the appointment of Chris Turner just one year later. Another relegation followed, and Turner himself lasted just one year in charge, resigning after a 6-0 defeat to local rivals Macclesfield Town that left County five points adrift of safety & facing a third relegation in just four years.

Former player Jim Gannon was placed in charge, initially as caretaker-manager, led the club to safety in 2005-06 and sustained a promotion challenge the next season, eventually missing out on the League Two playoffs on goal difference. The Colours And Crest Stockport County's traditional kit colours are blue & white, although they have played in other colours throughout their history. Originally competing in blue & white striped jerseys and white shorts, they experimented with red & white stripes in the early 1900s and from the mid-1930s to mid-1960s played in white jerseys & black shorts. No set pattern has been established for the clubs use of blue & white as main colours, at various times playing in a white jersey with a blue band and blue shorts; blue jersey with white pin stripes and white shorts; a short experiment with an Argentina-style kit, light blue & white stripes with black shorts, after the 1978 World Cup, which was abandoned after the outbreak of the Falklands War; and a return to blue & white striped tops with blue shorts in the 1980s.

The current kit, manufactured by Diadora, is a blue shirt with a white horizontal band, blue shorts & white socks. The away kit is the same style, with inverted colours; white jersey with a blue band, white shorts, blue socks. The club crest is based on the coat of arms of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport. It was further altered slightly in 2006, to resemble the town's crest even more closely, including the Latin motto Animo et Fide, which translates as With Courage & Faith. The blue shield is taken from the coat of arms of the De Stokeport family, from whom Stockport derives its name. The twin-towered castle above the shield is Stockport castle, which stood until 1775. The Ground Heaton Norris Rovers originally played home matches at the Heaton Norris Recreation Ground, then at various locations in Stockport until settling at a park on Green Lane, Heaton Norris, in 1889. The nearby Nursery Inn served as the team's home, with players using a barn as changing rooms.

In 1902 the club required a larger ground and moved to Edgeley Park, then home of Stockport Rugby League Club, who went out of business three years later. Stockport County have played home games there ever since, celebrating the centenary in 2002. The first major development at Edgeley Park was the construction of the Main Stand on the Hardcastle Road side of Edgeley Park, initially holding 500 seats. This was a timber structure, and was destroyed by a fire in 1935, taking most of the club's records with it. It was replaced by a new stand one year later, which stands today, seating just over 2,000 and containing players' changing rooms and some club offices. On the opposite side of the ground is the Popular Side (often shortened to Pop Side). The first structure on this side of the ground was a small, covered enclosure with a capacity of 1,400. This was replaced with a larger stand in 1927, and in one FA Cup match against Liverpool held 16,000 people.

In 1978 the rear of the stand was dismantled and capacity halved, and in the early 1990s the Popular Side was made all-seater. It currently holds 2,200. The first Cheadle End, built in 1923, was a small, covered timber stand with room for 3,000 people until it was made all-seater in 1967. It was demolished in 1985 after the Valley Parade fire, and replaced by a shallow, concrete terrace. In 1995 an entirely new stand was contsructed, seating 5,200, containing conference & banqueting facilities & club offices. The Railway End, formerly an uncovered terrace that could hold up to 6,000 in it's heyday, was the last part of Edgeley Park to be converted to seating in 2001, making the ground all-seater. In late 2000 the club considered moving to Maine Road, the former home of rivals Manchester City.

The potential move was unpopular with supporters, and protests were staged after it was suggested that the club would change its name to Man-Stock County after the move. Ultimately the protests were not necessary as Manchester City Council decreed that Sale Sharks would make better tenants. Maine Road has since been demolished to make way for a housing estate and, ironically, Edgeley Park is now shared with Sale. Club Honours Runners Up: 0-1 vs. Stoke City 1991-92 Runners Up: 1-2 vs.

Port Vale 1992-93 Division Three (North) Challenge Cup Winners: 1936-37 Most goals (season): 47 by Alf Lythgoe, 1933-34 Most goals (career): 140 by Jack Connor (1951 - 1956) Most hat-tricks (career): 17 by Jack Connor (1951 - 1956) Most appearances (career): 555 Andy Thorpe (1978 - 1986, 1988 - 1992) Most international appearances (Caps) - 9 Jarkko Wiss, Finland (2000 - 2002) Youngest player: Chris Coward, aged 16 years 31 days vs. Sheffield Wednesday, August 23, 2005 Most consecutive clean sheets: 9 by Wayne Hennessey, 2006-07, coinciding with club record for consecutive wins Oldest player: Alec Herd, aged 40 years 47 days vs.

Crewe Alexandra, December 25, 1951 The Support With both Manchester United and Manchester City around 7 miles from Edgeley Park, Stockport County have always struggled for local support. Even during the 1998-99 season crowds averaged around 20,000 less than local rivals City, who were a division below County at the time. As the two Manchester clubs, the closest clubs to Edgeley Park, have rarely been in the same division as Stockport County, they have no traditional local rivals, instead having occasional adversaries from further afield. In the early 1990s two notable rivalries began, with matches against Burnley and Stoke City having added edge for supporters. In the late 1990s and early 2000s Stockport and Manchester City were often in the same division, although with different fortunes since 2002 this rivalry has also diminished somewhat. Burnley, Man City and Stoke are cited as Stockport County fans' biggest rivals. Although the club has had great misfortunes on the pitch from 2000-01 onwards, crowds have continued to be rather healthy.

In fact, during the 2005-06 season home attendances (that is, given attendances minus away support) increased slightly on the season before, helped by a 10,006 crowd against Carlisle on the final day of that season. Away support increased in recent seasons, due to a combination of lower ticket prices, improved results and the close proximity of sides such as Bury, Rochdale & Macclesfield Town, with Stockport's away support outnumbering home supporters on a number of occasions. The 2006-07 season saw the club average the fourth highest average attendance in League Two, and was the highest average since the club's last season in the First Division. Vocally, the support from Stockport fans has often been cited by manager and players as inspirational & a boost to the team during play, and for the 2006-07 season led to squad number 12 being allocated to the 'Blue & White Army', the nickname for supporters. Stockport fans also have a wide variety of songs, being ranked 7th on FootballChants.org for number of individual chants.

Stockport County FC History Stockport County FC History A brief history of Stockport County HISTORY Established in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, in 1890 the name was changed to Stockport County to reflect the town gaining County Borough status. After winning the Lancashire League in 1900, the County gained admittance to the Football League, drawing their first match 2-2 away to Leicester Fosse (now Leicester City). After finishing in the bottom three in their first four seasons, County failed to gain re-election in 1904 and so spent a season in the Lancashire Combination; they won the League at the first time of asking and made an immediate return to the professional ranks. County would be proud Football League members for more than a century. Joining the League meant the club soon outgrew their ground behind the Nursery Inn on Green Lane in Heaton Norris and, in 1902, they moved south of the River Mersey to Edgeley Park, then home of Stockport RLFC. County have played there ever since. Hatmaking was an established industry in north Cheshire & south-east Lancashire by the 16th century.

By the late 19th century Stockport had become a national centre for the trade, and by 1900 County's nickname of 'The Hatters' had become synonymous with the club Having played in a variety of kit colours in the club's early years, usually a variation on blue & white, County switched to white shirts and black shorts from the '30s until the mid '60s. Throughout this period they were often referred to as the Lilywhites. In 1965 flamboyant chairman Vic Bernard, as part of his GO GO GO COUNTY revolution, reintroduced the Hatters' famous royal blue strip; colours they still adopt today. The club stayed in the 4th Division doldrums until the turn of the 90s, when Uruguayan manager Danny Bergara turned the Hatters into regular top-of-the-table challengers. Promotion came in 1991, and was followed by four visits to Wembley in two years - twice in playoff finals, twice in the Football League Trophy. Unfortunately County lost on each occasion. Following Bergara's departure in 1995, Dave Jones took charge and gave the club its most memorable season.

In 1996/97, the Hatters won four games against Premiership opposition, including a 1-0 win at Middlesbrough in the League Cup semi-final - unfortunately, the tie was lost 2-1 on aggregate. Other runs in the FA Cup and League Trophy meant County played almost 70 games that season, and finished 2nd in the Second Division - the large amount of games almost certainly costing them the title. After Jones' departure for Southampton, County consolidated in the First Division until relegation in 2002. What followed was a largely downward spiral back to the bottom division, twice finishing a season on just 26 points, and by Boxing Day 2005 County were well adrift at the bottom of the Football League. In came former player Jim Gannon as manager, who led the team to a remarkable run of form and, with an incredibly tense 0-0 draw on the final day against Carlisle, eventual safety. This was followed by a promotion push in 2006/07, when County memorably set a new professional record of 9 consecutive wins without conceding.

But promotion was just out of touch, with a playoff place being denied by Bristol Rovers in the dying minutes of the season despite County winning 5-0 at Darlington. That success finally came the next season. After finishing fourth, Gannon's side beat Wycombe in the semi-finals followed by a thrilling 3-2 win over neighbours Rochdale, finally ending the club's hoodoo at Wembley. Unfortunately, the Hatters couldn't build on that success and went in to administration before the final game of the season at Brighton. In 09/10 administration took its toll, and County finished on a new record low of 25 points and were relegated back to the bottom flight. In the summer of 2010 the club was taken out of administration by a group of local business people, ensuring the club’s survival. However, fortunes took a downturn on the pitch and the Hatters finished bottom of League Two, meaning that they would compete outside the Football League for the first time since 1905. During 2011, Liverpool-based businessman Tony Evans headed up a consortium of new investors in the club, who appointed former German international Dietmar Hamann as manager.

However, following the consortium’s failure to take charge, Hamann’s squad struggled in the league and in November he was replaced by former manager Jim Gannon. The size of the task ahead of Gannon was even bigger than the one in 2006, and the team initially continued to struggle but found resurgent form in Spring. Safety was secured with a 1-1 draw at home to Braintree, allowing the Hatters to enjoy a peaceful summer for the first time in four years. However, that stability didn't last long and in 2012-13 more financial issues off the pitch restricted the squad on it. With his team in the lower half of the table, Gannon was sacked in January 2013 and replaced by Bosnian coach Darije Kalezic. Unfortunately results got worse, and with County staring at relegation he was replaced by former Gateshead manager Ian Bogie, but he too could not stop the slide. A 4-0 defeat to Kidderminster Harriers saw Stockport County relegated to the Conference North, meaning the Hatters would be playing regional football for the first time since 1905.

Bogie left the club after a run of poor results and was replaced by County stalwart Alan Lord. Lord achieved the feat of stabilising a club in free-fall, securing the team's place in the division - which had at times looked uncertain - and guiding the club to a safe mid-table finish in the 2014/15 season. Lord's achievement turning the club around and pointing it in the right direction may well prove pivotal in County's history. Towards the end of the 2014/15 season Lord 'moved upstairs' to become Director of Football, and paved the way for the next man to come in and continue County's progress. In May 2015 County secured the services of Neil Young as manager. Young and his management team, headed by Gary Jones, made their name with successes at Colwyn Bay and Chester City. Young broke several records with his Chester side in the Conference North including achieving the most wins (33), fewest defeats (3), the most points (107), the most goals scored in a season (103) and the best goal difference (+71). Chester also broke the record for the longest unbeaten streak.

In January 2016, James Gannon signed an 18-month contract to return to Edgeley Park following the resignation of Neil Young. Mike Flynn, Dave Conlon and Jordan Felgate were named as his coaching staff. James said: "Stockport County holds a special place in my heart, and to be given the opportunity to work here once again is both a very proud moment on a personal level, and also an exciting football challenge as a professional." James Gannon led the Hatters to promotion during his first spell in charge of the club in 2008, winning the League Two Play-Off Final against Rochdale at Wembley. As a player, James became a club legend during ten years at Edgeley Park, earning two promotions and reaching the semi-finals of the League Cup. Stockport County F.C. (Football Club) of the English Football Association STOCKPORT COUNTY F.C. (Football Club) Included Info: Brief History, Club/Stadium Info, Team Jersey & Much More... BRIEF HISTORY of the STOCKPORT COUNTY FOOTBALL CLUB (reproduced from 'Wikipedia' pages) Stockport County Football Club is a semi-professional football club in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England.

Formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, the team adopted their name in 1890 after the County Borough of Stockport. They have played at Edgeley Park since 1902, traditionally in blue and white, and are nicknamed "The Hatters" after the town's former hat-making industry. Stockport County joined the Football League in 1900 and competed in it continuously from 1905 to 2011. The team spent most of their history in the lower reaches of the Football League, but the 1990s were more successful with the club competing in the First Division for five seasons; however, instability on and off the pitch eventually led to Stockport falling back to the lower divisions. They are currently the longest surviving Football League team to drop out of the league, having played in the league for a total of 110 years. The club started the 2011ï¿½12 season in the Conference National, having been relegated from Football League Two at the end of 2010ï¿½11.

At the end of 2012ï¿½13, Stockport were relegated to the Conference North. CLUB FACTS & INFORMATION Stockport County F.C. - YouTube Stockport County F.C. Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Oct 18, 2015 Stockport County Football Club is a semi-professional football club in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. Formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, the team adopted their name in 1890 after the County Borough of Stockport. They have played at Edgeley Park since 1902, traditionally in blue and white, and are nicknamed "The Hatters" after the town's former hat-making industry. Stockport County joined the Football League in 1900 and competed in it continuously from 1905 to 2011.

The team spent most of their history in the lower reaches of the Football League, but the 1990s were more successful with the club competing in the First Division for five seasons; however, instability on and off the pitch eventually led to Stockport falling back to the lower divisions. They are currently the longest surviving Football League team to drop out of the league, having played in the league for a total of 110 years. The club started the 2011–12 season in the Conference National, having been relegated from Football League Two at the end of 2010–11. At the end of 2012–13, Stockport were relegated to the Conference North. This video is targeted to blind users. Attribution: Article text available under CC-BY-SA Creative Commons image source in video Category Stockport County - Historical Football Kits Historical Football Kits Elected to Division Two 1900. Failed re-election 1904. Elected to Division Two 1905. Relegated to the Conference 2011.

Kit History 1906-1908 o r s u F 1913-1914 u y 1934-1937 c e k m C 1939-1940 u January 1958 A C E See notes 1978-1979 (1) w u y Bukta 1989-1990 n t z D Ribero 1991-1992 l q t D Gola Background Formed 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers by members of the Wycliffe Congregational Church, the club became simply Heaton Norris FC in 1888 before taking the name Stockport County in 1890 when the town became an independent county borough. The first known photograph shows the team wearing striped shirts at least two sizes too small - presumably they had shrunk at the laundry! This was also the year that the club turned professional. The area was the regional centre for the manufacture of headgear, an important industry at a time when every man and woman in the country owned at least one hat.

Inevitably, the club became known as “The Hatters,” a nickname they share with Luton Town. Although some sources suggest Stockport wore blue and white during their early career, the club historian, Marcus Heap tells us he has found no contemporary reference to these colours and what evidence there is suggests they wore red and white. After a spell in the Football Combination, County joined the Lancashire League, finishing as champions in 1900 after which they were elected to Division Two along with Blackpool. One of the clubs they replaced was Luton, who did not seek re-election. County's early career in the Football League was a disaster. After seeking re-election four times in succession, they lost their place to Doncaster Rovers in 1904 and joined the Midland League and the Lancashire Combination in the belief that competing in two leagues would increase their chances of returning to the Football league. They won the Lancashire Combination and applied to rejoin the Football League but were initially unsuccessful. It was then decided to expand the League, creating four vacancies in the Second Division. On a second ballot, Stockport were successful while Doncaster lost their place.

The club struggled but only faced re-election again in 1913. In 1914 David Ashworth was appointed as manager: he had previously been in charge of Oldham Athletic and he made sure that County played in the same broad blue and white stripes. Ashworth left to manage Liverpool in 1920 but curiously, Stockport continued to play in the same shirts as Oldham after he left: both clubs adopted very distinctive shirts with a single broad blue stripe at the same time. In 1921 County were relegated to the new northern section of the Third Division but they returned a year later, winning the championship by six points. In 1926 The Hatters were relegated and were stuck in Division Three (North) until 1937 when they returned briefly to Division Two. A crest was worn in the 1924-25 season but HFK has not been able to establish the details. During the 1930s the club adopted plain white shirts with black shorts but their fortunes did not improve. The crest, adopted in 1956, featured the central shield from the Stockport coat of arms.

The old gold and black kit worn at home in January 1958 is an anomaly. The team was drawn against Luton Town, then in the First Division, in the FA Cup Third Round. The rules of the competition at that time required both teams to change when colours clashed and County chose the famous old gold and black of Wolves. Stockport won 3-0 and continued to wear their new lucky strip throughout January, including in a home match against Halifax. In 1959, Stockport were relegated after a single season in the new national Third Division. A colour version of the crest was introduced in 1966 and is particularly remembered for appearing on the white shirts with a single blue hoop worn in the last years of the decade. Promotion came in 1967 but in 1970 they were back in the Fourth Division. Lean times followed after white became the team's primary colour and County had to apply for re-election in 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1985.

A monogramme was worn in the 1977-78 season before it was replaced by a new crest with a crosslet as it's central motif. This appeared in various colour combinations with or without the SCFC lettering until 1989. In 1979 the club adopted broad light blue and white stripes after Argentina's triumph in the World Cup: these were dropped in April 1982 after the outbreak of the Falklands War. In 1989 the club adopted a modernist crest in the red, white and blue colours worn at the time. Such innovations are rarely popular with traditionally-minded football supporters and it was no surprise when a more traditional crest was introduced just two seasons later, based on the arms of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport. The new crest was introduced at the same time that the team returned to wearing blue shirts. During the 1990s the club underwent a transformation.

Promoted to Division Three in 1991, they reached the play-offs for the next three seasons and in 1997 won automatic promotion to Nationwide Division One (the old Second Division), the first time they had played at this level since 1937-38. During their promotion season Stockport wore a rather peculiar crest with intertwined letters. This was replaced after two seasons by a modified version of the older crest. After finishing in eighth place in 1998 the future seemed bright indeed but behind the scenes debts mounted. Inevitably a club with such limited resources could not afford to compete at this level: after relegation in 2002 they were back in the lowest division (now Coca Cola League Two) and facing bankruptcy. In July 2005 the club’s owners, Cheshire Sport, sold their interests to the Stockport County Supporters’ Club, making County the latest in a growing band of community owned clubs. In 2006 County narrowly avoided relegation to the Conference. To reflect this change of ownership the crest was altered to be almost identical to that of the local council.

Supporters were now regularly involved in the design of the team's kits although their clear favourite for 2007-09, a revival of the striped top worn at various periods in the past, was overruled by the board, who opted for an all-blue outfit with a white chest band reminiscent of the iconic shirts worn in the 60s, but with the colours reversed. In June 2010 a consortium of local business people (the 2015 Group) took control of the club, which had been in administration for 14 months. A revised crest and new strip were introduced as a result. The Metropolitan Council sponsored Stockport in 2010-11 with their own coat of arms appearing on the team shirts, apparently prompting the club to alter their own crest as it would otherwise have appeared twice. The new regime was unable to reverse County's misfortune and they were relegated in 2011 having finished last in League Two, losing their place in the Football League after 107 years. In need of a fresh start, County reverted to stripes in 2011, last seen in the Eighties after a poll of supporters.

The club motto (which translates as "courageously and faithfully") was also restored to the crest at the request of fans. Around the same time the club adopted the slogan, "A Football Club is so much more than a ground with four Stands," a reminder that football clubs are not just businesses, they are part of their comunity. After Nike sold off Umbro, threatening the future of the iconic brand, Stockport became the only senior club in the UK to wear Umbro strip in the 2013-14 season. You are welcome to Contact Me with corrections and additions.

Sources (b) Club Colours (Bob Bickerton 1998) (c) The West Ham United Collection (2003) (d) Crewe Alexandra FC (Images of Sport) Harold Finch 2001 (m) The Football Encyclopaedia (Associated Sporting Press 1934) - information provided by Arthur Fergus (n) Countylads (s) Phil Brennan (Media Manager, Stockport County FC) (t) David King (y) Marcus Heap (Stockport County historian) (z) Matt Smith list of manchestwer football clubs and stadiums Large picture above, Bolton V Middlesbrough at Cardiff Bolton's Jay Jay Okocha framed by the love football sign Date Taken 29 Feb 2004 Stockport County F.C. play in the Conference North league. The club was formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, changing its name to Stockport County in 1890 reflecting the town's status as a county borough. It joined the Football League in 1900.

Its most successful season was the 1996–97 season, when it reached the Football League Cup semi-finals and won promotion into the Championship. Stockport Sports FC, a non-league football club, also play in the town. Stockport Sports (formerly Woodley Sports) compete in the NWCFL Premier Division. Ex-England international and former national team manager of Thailand and Indonesia Peter Withe manages Stockport Sports. Pictured Stockport County Football Club 2004 -2005 season team photo Date Taken 2 Aug 2004 Bury has a football club, Bury F.C., which plays at Gigg Lane. The club was formed in 1885 and in 1889 they finished runners up in the inaugural season of the Lancashire League. They were elected to the Football League Second Division in 1894, at the same time as Manchester City. They were promoted to Division One at the end of their first season, beating Liverpool in a play-off. More success came in 1900 when they won the FA Cup followed by a further win in 1903.

On the second occasion they beat Derby County 6-0 - a record victory for a Cup Final that still stands. The most recent run of success was in 1996 and 1997 when they won promotion from Football League Division Three and Football League Division Two, being Champions in that Division, in successive seasons. The club currently (2013–14) plays in League Two, with a thriving Youth and Centre of Excellence department.[27] The club has produced players such as David Nugent, Simon Whaley and Colin Kazim-Richards. Former legends include free scoring Craig Madden, old timers Norman Bullock and Henry Cockburn, Neville Southall, Dean Kiely, Lee Dixon, Colin Bell, Terry McDermott, Alec Lindsay, Trevor Ross and John McGrath. Gigg Lane is also used by F.C. United of Manchester of the Northern Premier League Premier Division. FC United is a breakaway group of former Manchester United fans adhering to the anti Malcolm Glazer movement and outright commercialism in modern football. F.C. United's attendances are extremely competitive with those of Bury F.C. themselves.

Until 2002 Manchester United Reserves were also hosted by Gigg Lane in Bury. Bury FC 2004 - 2005 season Team photo Date Taken 28 july 2004 Bolton Wanderers F.C. is an English Football League club which was formed in 1874 and for 102 years played at Burnden Park. The club moved to the Reebok Stadium in Horwich in 1997. The club has won four FA Cups, the most recent in 1958, and spent 73 seasons in the top division of the English league – more than any club never to have been league champions. Bolton v Blackburn The Reebok stadium in Horwich Bolton Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's (West Gorton), they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894. The club has played at the City of Manchester Stadium since 2003, having played at Maine Road from 1923.

The club's most successful period was in the late 1960s and early 1970s when they won the League Championship, FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup under the management team of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison. After losing the 1981 FA Cup Final, the club went through a period of decline, culminating in relegation to the third tier of English football for the only time in their history in 1998. Having regained Premier League status, the club was purchased in 2008 by Abu Dhabi United Group and became one of the wealthiest in the world. In 2011, Manchester City qualified for the UEFA Champions League and won the FA Cup. In 2012, the club won the Premier League, their first league title for 44 years. Manchester City F.C. final game at Maine Road showing the Kippax 2003 Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League.

Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910. Manchester United have won many trophies in English football, including a record 20 League titles, a record 11 FA Cups, four League Cups and a record 20 FA Community Shields. The club has also won three European Cups, one UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, one UEFA Super Cup, one Intercontinental Cup and one FIFA Club World Cup. In 1998–99, the club won a continental treble of the Premier League, the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League, an unprecedented feat for an English club. The 1958 Munich air disaster claimed the lives of eight players. In 1968, under the management of Matt Busby, Manchester United was the first English football club to win the European Cup.

Alex Ferguson won 28 major honours, and 38 in total, from November 1986 to May 2013, when he announced his retirement after 26 years at the club.[6] Fellow Scot David Moyes was appointed as his replacement on 9 May 2013. Manchester United is the third-richest football club in the world for 2011–12 in terms of revenue, with an annual revenue of €395.9 million, and the second most valuable sports team in 2013, valued at $3.165 billion.[8] It is one of the most widely supported football teams in the world.[9][10][11][12] After being floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1991, the club was purchased by Malcolm Glazer in May 2005 in a deal valuing the club at almost £800 million. In August 2012, Manchester United made an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange.

Manchester United will give a discount to OAP on next years season 04 tickets pictured life long fans Alma and Austin Ward Rochdale Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium. Formed in 1907 and nicknamed the Dale, they were accepted into the Football League in 1921. The club has spent 77 of its 85 League seasons to 2013 in the lowest tier (Third Division South and Fourth Division/League 2), more than any other club. However it has avoided relegation to the Conference and has twice achieved promotion, in 1969 and 2010. Although the club have never won a competition since joining the League, they have the distinction of playing in the final of the League Cup in 1962, the first of only two teams from the lowest tier to have done so. Rochdale FC battle with January snow in 2010 Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is a professional football club based at Boundary Park, on Furtherwood Road off Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester, England.

The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier in the English football league system. They have been in this league since their relegation from the old Football League First Division in 1997. It is incorporated as Oldham Athletic (2004) Association Football Club Limited, but is more commonly known as Oldham Athletic or by its nickname Latics. The history of Oldham Athletic A.F.C. begins with its founding as Pine Villa F.C. in 1895, which played in local Manchester and Lancashire leagues. When rivals Oldham County F.C. folded in 1899, Pine Villa F.C. moved into their stadium, the Oldham Athletic Ground (now known as Boundary Park) and changed their name to Oldham Athletic. They were Football League runners-up in the 1914–15 season, the last before the outbreak of the First World War, but were relegated from the Football League First Division in 1923. They reached the 1990 Football League Cup Final and won the Football League Second Division title in 1991, ending 68 years outside the top tier of English football.

They secured their top division status a year later to become founder members of the new Premier League, but were relegated after two seasons despite reaching that year's FA Cup Semi-finals. Since the late-1990s Oldham Athletic have grappled with poor performance, a high turnover of managers and an ageing stadium. The club's limited company was formed after a period of insolvency in 2003–04. In February 2004, the club's immediate future was secured when a group of United States-based expatriate British businessmen, led by Simon Blitz, bought the club, forming Oldham Athletic (2004) Association Football Club Limited. Oldham FC team photo SEASON 1996/97 Altrincham Football Club is an English football club based in Altrincham, Greater Manchester. The club participates in the Conference North, the sixth tier of English football. The team was relegated from the Conference National at the end of the 2010–11 season. Curzon Ashton F.C. are a football club based in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester. They currently play in the Northern Premier League Division One North and are members of the Manchester County Football Association .

Nicknamed "The Nash", the club play their home games at the Tameside Stadium in Ashton-under-Lyne. Sir Geoff Hurst OBE,in his birth town Ashton-under-Lyne, to take a look at the statue erected in his honour depicting L-R Jimmy Armfield Simone Perrotta and Geoff himself. The sculpture was unvalued in December 2010 but today is the first time Geoff has seen to work of art in the carpark of Curzon Ashton F.C. Stalybridge Celtic Football Club is an English football club based in Stalybridge, Greater Manchester. The club participates in the Conference North, the sixth tier of English football. The team traditionally plays in a blue and white strip. The team plays its home matches at Bower Fold. In 1921 Stalybridge Celtic became a founder member of the Football League's Third Division North. But after only two seasons in the new league, they became the first club to leave the new division. F.C. United of Manchester is an English semi-professional football club based in Bury, Greater Manchester that plays in the Northern Premier League Premier Division.

It was formed in 2005 by Manchester United supporters opposed to American businessman Malcolm Glazer's controversial takeover of the club. The supporters own the club and vote on how the club is run. The club entered the North West Counties Football League Division Two in 2005, winning the league in their inaugural season. In their second season, they were crowned champions of North West Counties Football League Division One and were promoted to the Northern Premier League. The 2007–08 season saw them finish second in the Northern Premier League Division One North and gain promotion through the end of season play-offs. Since then they have played in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, reaching the play-off final in 2010–11, 2011–12 and 2012–13. The club also reached the Second Round Proper of the FA Cup in the 2010–11 season. F.C. United has played at Gigg Lane since its formation in a ground-share with Bury. However, the club has applied for planning permission to build its own ground in north Manchester in time for the 2014–15 season.

The team is managed by former professional footballer Karl Marginson. All images are under copyright © © © All images are mine Text is from wikipedia but edited by myself over time Manchester Sports Photography commission Manchester's number one Sports and pr photographer Commercial sports portraits Manchester Cheshire and Lancashire

Question: By what name are Football League team Heaton Norris now known?
Answer: STOCKPORT COUNTY F.C